As disclosed in European Application No. 19,808 (corresponding to application number 80 102 707) the juices or extracts of certain carnivorous plants are suitable for the treatment of cancer. Juice extracts from parts of the Venus Fly Trap (Dionaea muscipula) have been found to be particularly efficacious. These extracts contain, among other things, specific proteolytic ferments which can be taken orally, or by injection after filtration and dilution with cooling salt solutions.
As disclosed in EHK Acta medica empirica, Bd. 34, 416-420 (1985), therapeutic effects are attributed to specific endonucleases found in the juice extract from carnivorous plants. The endonucleases provide for a partial inhibition of cell division of tumor cells, which in many cases promotes remission, and sometimes disappearance, of the tumor. Even patients with metasthesis have been successfully treated with a commercial composition designated as CARNIVORA.TM. which is marketed by Carnivora, GmbH, Jagsthausen. The Carnivora composition consists of a diluted juice extract or the lyophilized solids of the extracted juice of fresh plant parts of Dionaea muscipula. The composition is taken orally, by intramuscular injection after dilution of the lyophilized powder in water, or by inhalation of an aerosol spray after dilution in water.
Herpes is characterized by small blisters which suddenly appear, usually in the transient region between the epidermis and the mucosa, for the example in the region of the nose or the lips, or the genitalia or the anus. Herpes can also appear in other regions of the body and can appear as herpes Zoster in connection with a neuralgic rash. Herpes frequently appears as a result of external pressure on the organism, such as disease accompanied by fever, strong facial sunburn or exposure to the sun, etc. The herpes blisters can become sores which cause pain and swelling and which heal with difficulty.
Known herpes treatments, such as those relying on tinctures or zinc ointments, or on oral administration of vitamin B, frequently do not lead to symptomatic relief or the desired cure.
Granulatomous-inflammatory diseases of the ileum and colon, known as regional enteritis or Morbus Crohn, is a frequently encountered condition. Symptoms include chronic diarrhea and abdominal pains. The therapy available for this disease is frequently symptomatic, and is aimed at reducing diarrhea and abdominal pain. Antibacterial medications have been used to treat bacterial complications, but have not achieved a cure. Corticos steroids are useful, but frequently a surgical or operative intervention is needed, such as a resection of the diseased intestinal portion. This is also true of Colitis ulcerosa. In difficult cases, a total proctocolectomy or iletostomy, respectively, is required. Unexpectedly, it lately has been discovered that the juice or aqueous extract of carnivorous plants is effective for the treatment of herpes infections by oral administration or local application, and for the treatment of chronic inflammations of the intestinal tract (Morbus Crohn and Colitis ulcerosa)--even though these diseases are entirely different from the sarcoma and carcinoma diseases heretofore treated with the known extract, and even though the treatment according to the invention differs from known medications and procedures for the treatment of herpes and Crohn's disease.